Remotely controlling multiple light fixtures and intensity of light emitted by the light fixtures has become widespread within the lighting industry. The simplest protocols use a simple on/off switch. Electricity either flows or does not flow through a light bulb. The marriage of computers and lighting has vastly increased the capability to control lighting (for example, scene management) but requires more complex protocols. Traditionally, protocols have been designed to handle two attributes, dimming and addressing. Dimming allows a controller to send an intensity value to a light. Addressing allows the controller to control a particular light or a particular group of lights in a larger number of controlled lights. Together these attributes allow control of traditional white lighting.
There are many existing commercial products providing computer control over lighting, implementing many protocols. There are proprietary protocols that only translate between devices made by one manufacturer (for example, Lightolier® Controls). There are licensable protocols designed to allow devices from many manufacturers to work together (for example X10, Insteon™, Z-wave® and UPB for the home, DMX-512, Lon and DALI for commercial automation).
The protocols operate a variety of controllers that have different physical interfaces that are integrally manufactured with the lighting fixture or hardwired into the lighting fixture. In order to control a particular group of lights, each lighting fixture in the group may be required to have compatible controllers. This may require unnecessary replacing of lighting fixtures for purpose of compatibility and/or a licensed electrician to replace lighting fixtures or hardwire new controllers. Therefore, there is a need to develop a system for more efficient compatibility of controllers and/or replacement of lighting controllers.